Drawer clamp



April 19, J M LA ER 1 2,114,390

DRAWER CLAMP Filed March 26, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 19, 1938. .J.M. LANCAS'IIEIR DRAWER CLAMP Filed March 26, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Apr. 19, 1938 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention aims to provide novel means for assembling underpressure, the parts of a drawer, the dovetails on the parts of thedrawer being securely interengaged, and the parts of the drawer being soheld that the drawer will be of proper form when completed. Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a device of the class describedwhich will handle a drawer having a straight front or a curved front. Afurther object of the invention is to supply novel means for making themachine adjustable to accommodate drawers of different sizes and shapes.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and toenhance the utility of devices of that type to which the presentinvention appertains.

With the above and other objects in View, which.

will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in thecombination and arrangement of parts and in the details of constructionhereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes inthe precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be madewithin the scope of what is claimed, Without departing from the spiritof the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows, in vertical longitudinal section, a machine embodying theinvention, and operating on a drawer having a straight front;

Fig. 2 is a top plan of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section, looking toward the fixed but adjustableabutment;

Fig. 4 is a fragmental side elevation showing a portion of one of thecarriages;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a view similar toFig. 1 but showing the parts as they appearwhen the drawer has a curved front;

Fig. '7 is a. section on the line l'l of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section showing a modification.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a support which, as awhole, is marked by the letter S, the support including an elongatedrectangular top frame I having outstanding lateral longitudinal flanges2, provided with holes or seats 3, spaced apart longitudinal of theframe I and adapted to receive shiftable stops 4, which 59 may be headedpins. The frame l is supported on legs 5.

A normally fixed but adjustable abutment is provided, and includes abox-like slide 6, coma base plate 'I and a top plate- 8, theinner edgeof the top plate being set back with respect to the inner edge of thebase plate, the base plate resting on the flanges 2 of the frame I andbeing provided with retainers 9, which extend beneath the flanges 2 andhold the slide 6 on the frame I for adjustment longitudinally of the 5frame, although in the operation of the machine, the slide 6 is fixed,since the base plate I abuts against the stops 4.

The side walls of the slide 6 (Fig. 4) have elongated slots I0,receiving pivot elements I I, carry- 10 ing an angular rest I2 disposedwithin the slide 6. The rest I2 has a depending outer arm I4 and adownwardly and inwardly inclined arm I5. Stops I6, such as screws, arethreaded into the lower end of the arm I4 and are adapted to engage 15the base plate I of the slide 6. Adjusting screws H are threaded intothe base plate I of the slide 6 and bear against the under surface ofthe arm I5 of the rest I2.

A post I8 is secured to the top plate 8 of the 20 slide 6 and has avertical slot I9. A clamp strip 20 engages the inner surface of the postI8 and is channel-shaped, as shown in Fig. 2, to receive the post I8,the clamp strip thus being held at right angles to the length of thepost I8. Into the 25 clamp strip 20, a screw 2I is threaded, the screwbeing provided at its inner end with a. transverse fixed head 22. Thescrew 2I extends backwardly through the vertical slot H! of the post I8.On the outer end of the screw 2I, a tubular nut 23 is 30 threaded, andthe nut is provided with a hand wheel 24.

A second slide 25 is provided. structurally, the second slide 25 is likethe first slide 6. Functionally, however, the second slide 25 differsfrom 35 the first slide 6, in that the slide 25 is reciprocated on theframe I, during the operation of the machine. The second slide 25 hasall the parts of the first slide 6 and those parts, in the second slide25, are indicated by numerals already used. 40

The means for imparting reciprocation to the second slide 25 may be ofany desired sort. If preferred, a bracket 26 may be secured to one endof the frame I, the bracket carrying a fluid pressure cylinder 21, thepiston actuated rod 28 of which is connected at 29 to the slide 25. Thefluid pressure conduits 3D for the cylinder 21 lead downwardly to avalve 3!, secured to the floor of the shop in which the machine islocated, the securing means being marked by the numeral 32. The valve 3|may be operated by a pedal 33. The fluid pressure supply conduit leadingto the valve 3| is designated by the numeral 34. A bridge piece 35 islocated between the carriages 6 and 25 and the ends of the bridge piece35 rest on the fianges 2 of the frame I, as shown in Fig. 5. The bridgepiece 35 has a depressed central portion 36.

Referring first to Fig. 1, suppose that the drawer to be assembled has astraight front 31. The front 37 is placed on the central portion 36 ofthe bridge piece 35. The ends 38 of the drawer are disposed vertically,the dovetails of the ends 38 and the front 31 being coated with glue. Bymeans of the pedal 33, the valve 3I is operated, fluid pressure issupplied to the cylinder 21, the carriage 2'5 is advanced on the frameI, and the inner edges of the base plates 7 of the slides 6 and 25 forcethe dovetails of the ends 38 into engagement with the dovetails of thefront 31, the ends 38 of the drawer being in engagement with the heads22 of the screws 2| and in engagement with the inner portions of theslides 6 and 25. The bottom 39 of the drawer is slid downwardly toplace, in the grooves provided for its reception in the ends 38, and theback 4| of the drawer is forced downwardly by hand, until the dovetailsof the back 40 interengage with the dovetails of the ends 38. Thepressure in the cylinder 28 then may be relieved, by a proper actuationof the pedal 33, and the slide 25 and parts carried by it will beretracted.

It is not necessary that the fluid pressure mechanism of Fig. 1 beresorted to in order to advance the slide 25. In Fig. 8, partshereinbefore described have been designated by numerals already used,with the sufiix a. In the modification disclosed in Fig. 8, the bracket26a. carries a bearing 42, in which a feed screw 43 is held for rotationbut against longitudinal movement, the outer end of the feed screwcarrying a hand wheel 44 or the equivalent thereof. The inner end of thefeed screw 33 is threaded into a cap piece 45, secured to the outer endof the slide 25a, and when. the screw 43 is rotated by means of the handwheel 44,

, the slide 25a will be advanced or retracted.

The drawer may have a curved front 46, as shown in Fig. 6. Under suchcircumstances, a spacing strip 47, preferably made of wood, is securedto the intermediate portion 36 of the bridge piece 35, the thickness ofthe spacing strip 47 depending upon the bow and shape of the front 46.

The stops I3 are adjusted in the arms I4 of the rests I 2 until the armsI5 of the rests have an inward and downward slope which corresponds tothe curvature of the front 46, the adjusting screws II being threadedupwardly until they engage the arms I5 of the rests I2 and hold therests securely in the position of Fig. 6, the stops I6 engaging the baseplate 'I.

When the carriage 25 is advanced, the dovetails of the drawer ends 38and the dovetails of the front 3 will be forced into interengagement,the ends of the drawer front 46 being carried by the arms I5 of therests I2. Owing to the fact that the front 46 is bowed, its ends areraised higher than are the ends of the straight front 31 of Fig. 1. Theinner edges of the top plates 8 of the slides 6, and not the base platesI of the slides, then constitute parts which engage the drawer ends 38to crowd the dovetailed extremities of the drawer ends 38 intoengagement with the corresponding parts on the curved front 46.

The reasons for having the slots Ill (Fig. 4) in the side walls of theslides It, for the reception of the pivot elements II of the rests I2are that, owing to the curvature and the thickness of the front 46, andowing to the extent that the ends of the front 36 project outwardlybeyond the parts 38 of the drawer, some vertical adjustment of the restsI2 may be necessary, in addition to the tilting adjustment afforded bythe pivot elements I I.

The tubular nuts 23 may be backed off, and by means of the heads 22, thescrews 2| may be threaded in or out in the clamp strips 20, the heads 22being adjusted horizontally. The screws 2I may be moved up or down inthe slots I9 of the posts I8, and when the desired position has beenattained, the nuts 23 may be threaded up to the position shown in Fig.l, the posts being clamped between the strips 20 and the inner ends ofthe nuts 23, the screws 2i thus being held in any position to which theymay have been adjusted, and the position of the heads 22 being fixedaccordingly.

The necessary adjustment in the position of the heads 22 for thedimensions of different drawers, measured from front to back, may beattained by shifting the screws 2| vertically in the slots I9 of theposts I8. As to the adjustment necessary for drawers of differentlengths, measured between the ends 38, that adjustment may be obtainedby shifting the stop pins 4 to the appropriate holes or seats 3 in theframe I, the base plate I of the slide 6 engaging the stops, asdisclosed in Figs. 1 and 6.

The operation of the machine results in a saving of hand labor, the workis done rapidly, the drawer comes from the machine in true and properform, and there is no marring of the drawer to disfigure any portions ofit which are exposed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a. device for assembling drawers, a support, cooperating members,means for fixing one of said cooperating members on the support, meansfor mounting the other of said cooperating members on the support forsliding movement toward and away from the fixed member, each of saidmembers comprising vertically spaced upper and lower parts, the upperparts being spaced apart more widely than are the lower parts,vertically tiltable rests carried by said members, means for tilting therests to cause them to conform to the curvature of a curved drawerfront, the upper parts being disposed above the rests and constitutingmeans for applying pressure to the ends of a drawer which are to beassembled with the ends of a curved front mounted on the rests, thelower parts constituting means for applying pressure to the ends of astraight drawer front which is out of engagement with the rests, andmeans under the control of an operator for moving said other of thecooperating members toward and away from the fixed member.

2. In a device for assembling drawers, a support, cooperating members,means for fixing one of said members on the support, means for mountingthe other of said members on the support for sliding movement toward andaway from the fixed member, each of said members comprising verticallyspaced upper and lower parts, the upper parts being spaced more widelythan are the lower parts, vertically tiltable rests carried by saidmembers, means. for tilting the rests to cause them to correspond to thecurvature of a drawer front, the upper parts being disposed above therests and constituting means for applying pressure to the ends of adrawer which are to be assembled with the ends of a curved front mountedon the rests, the lower parts constituting means for applying pressureto the ends of a straight drawer front which is out of engagement withthe rests, means under the control of an operator for moving said otherof the cooperating members toward and away from the fixed member, postscarried by said cooperating members, heads constituting means forengaging the ends of a drawer, and means for mounting the heads on theposts for adjustment transversely of the posts and longitudinally of theposts.

3. In a. device for assembling drawers, a support, cooperating members,means for mounting one of said members on. the support in fixed adjustedpositions longitudinally of the support, with respect to the other ofsaid members, means for mounting the other of said members on thesupport for sliding movement toward and away from the fixed member, eachof said members comprising vertically spaced upper and lower parts, theupper parts being spaced more widely apart than the lower parts,vertically tiltable rests carried by said members, means for tilting therests to cause them to conform to the curvature of a drawer front, theupper parts being disposed above the rests and constituting means forapplying pressure to the ends of a drawer which are to be assembled withthe ends of a curved front mounted on the rests, the lower partsconstituting means for applying pressure to the ends of a straightdrawer front which is out of engagement with the rests, and means underthe control of an operator for moving said other of the cooperatingmembers toward and away from the first-specified one of said members.

JETER M. LANCASTER.

